“Maybe I don’t like being different,” says Meg, “but I don’t want to be like everybody else, either.” Such are the sentiments of the rebellious Meg Murry, young heroine of the beloved classic A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle, first published in 1962.
Brainy, annoying Meg Murry and the three time travelers Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which have been appealing to young adults (especially girls) ever since. At the time, Meg was unusual — she was a girl who had a gift for math (what?), a brilliant scientist for a mother (really?), and a younger brother, Charles Wallace, who, though even more talented, was considered dumb. The initiative to get girls interested in STEM was not yet a thing.
This made A Wrinkle in Time especially intriguing for teenagers of the female persuasion. In L’Engle’s world, you would not be told it was “threatening” to be smart. You could say what you think and people would still like you. You could save your entire family, in fact, and at the same time impress a boy you kind of liked.
The story had political relevance, too — it was a reminder of the value of individuality and the contrast between the freedom of the West and what was seen as the cold, gray Communist world. Arena Stage’s version, a new musical, updates the story in some fun and highly imaginative ways. But the book is challenging to adapt for the stage, and it shows.
At first, Mrs. Whatsit (Amber Gray) welcomes us with great good cheer, as she opens the curtains. She has been blown off course by a “tesser,” short for “tesseract” (the “wrinkle in time” of the title), which enables her and her two comrades, Mrs. Who (Stacey Sargeant) and Mrs. Which (Vicki Lewis), to travel though different times and other worlds.
MRS. WHATSIT: oh right, I forgot:
you three-dimensional creatures travel the long way ’round.
whereas we! prefer! shortcuts!
of the five-dimensional variety!
how can I explain?(she gets an idea, she holds up her skirt at two points)
if a very small insect were to move from here to there, it would be quite a long walk.
BUT! make a fold —(MRS. WHATSIT folds her skirt)
— and you can travel just about anywhere you want in space
in other words!
a straight line is NOT the shortest distance between two points.
Meg (Taylor Iman Jones) is in the middle of a storm, too. Wrapped in a quilt at first, she engages in a musical dialogue with the “Wind,” sung by the entire company.
In the book, Meg is shy (today we might even call her neurodiverse) and hates everyone and everything (well, she is a teenager). Here, as portrayed with admirable intensity by Jones, she is more extroverted (it is a musical, after all) but still isolated and misunderstood. Her best friend is her brother, Charles Wallace (a fine performance by Mateo Lizcano), who himself has extraordinary abilities that we will learn about later.
Meg’s empathetic mother (Andrea Jones-Sojola) is struggling with a loss that has devastated her family. She loves her children but is firm with them (a warning “Charles” to her son got a laugh from the opening night audience). Two years ago, her physicist husband disappeared. She writes to him every day, but they have heard nothing.
Meg hopes to find and bring back her father, who may be in danger. He was engaged in mysterious government work, studying — what else? — tesseracts.
In the musical number “Always on my Guard,” Meg’s classmates (Ensemble) surround and torment her, reminding her that 1) she’s a nerd, 2) Charles Wallace is a “mute,” 3) no one likes her family, and 4) by the way what really happened to her father? At gym class, though, she meets Calvin, a basketball star who is drawn to her immediately. Nicholas Barrón is a standout as this new friend, who has compulsions he feels he must obey, and who turns out to be a stalwart ally as the danger grows.
Mrs. Who (Stacey Sargeant), Mrs. Whatsit’s time-traveling comrade, is first introduced as the school librarian. She is fond of quoting her favorite authors, classic ones like Pascal and modern ones like Maya Angelou. The musical Cats comes up too. Frequently.
Soon Mrs. Which (Vicki Lewis) joins the other two. Lewis as Mrs. Which is said to be older and wiser than the others. Sargeant’s Mrs. Who, though literary, is a playful sort. The time-traveling Trio has, among other terrific numbers, this eponymous one, which serves as their introduction.
MRS. TRIO: we are angels we are ghosts and we are mothers, aunts, great grandmothers
are guardians and stars to guide, keep company and coexist, Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which.
So far, the production has been a kind of rotating funscape, full of magic, mystery, and strange twists and turns. The set, by dots, is a fabulously versatile one. The Ensemble can perform all kinds of scenes, from gym class to the planet Uriel to the planet Camazotz and more.
Heather Christian’s score is complicated and wonderfully evocative. Her lyrics fit perfectly into the story, and her music is beautifully performed. Sarafina Bush’s costumes are fantastic, too — colorful, fresh, and full of humorous touches.
Once the time travel begins, though, the plotline becomes difficult to follow. The “tessering” from one planet to another can be confusing, especially for those who have not read the book. This shortcoming is somewhat mitigated by the fact that the action is fast and furious, the choreography (by Ani Taj) is clever and nonstop, and the performances are first-rate.
The Trio, along with Calvin, Meg, and Charles Wallace, end up at the failed planet Camazotz, a massively non-fun place, where they will look for Meg’s father.
The Camakids enter bouncing balls, in exactly the same rhythm, urged on by their Camamoms and Camadads. The three adventurers try and fail to keep up. One Camazotzian Brother (Aidan Joyce) makes a mistake and runs off, terrified.
In the number “Sleep Is Fake,” the Camazotzian Workers pass files back and forth in factory formation. They are not allowed to feel frustrated, tired, or scared. Affirmations Man (Jayke Workman) reminds everyone how well they are doing, how great they look, how all is light and all is right. George Orwell’s 1984 (1949), Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World (1932), and Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 (1953) come to mind. Camazotz is controlled by IT, which is essentially (of course) a giant brain. Charles Wallace is in great danger from IT, and his struggle and Meg’s will ultimately become deadly. So will their search for their father.
In the planet of Ixchel, Meg, who has become seriously wounded, is met by three large creatures, the Beasts (Kimberly Dodson, Andrea Jones-Sojola, and Gabrielle Rice). The Beasts have a strange kind of elegance. (Puppet design and puppetry are by James Ortiz.) It is a dreamlike moment when they enter through the audience, speaking softly. The gentle Aunt Beast (Andrea Jones-Sojola) wraps Meg in a maternal embrace.
There is a lack of suspense, as even if you have not read the book, it is fairly clear what the outcome will be. More character detail in the dialogue of Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin might add depth to their roles. But perhaps the problem lies in the very nature of the novel, which, despite the intergalactic travels, has a very “interior” aspect emotionally. Meg, whatever her feelings, does not seem like the type of person to break into song.
A Wrinkle in Time is quite long (cuts might be in order) and, above all, a narrator or synopsis would make it easier to follow what is happening, especially for those new to the material.
Still, Director Lee Sunday Evans’ production is sumptuous, original, and full of visual and aural delights. That is quite a tribute to the book so many love.
Running Time: Two hours and 40 minutes, including one intermission.
A Wrinkle in Time plays through July 20, 2025, in the Kreeger Theater at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater, 1101 6th St SW, Washington, DC. Tickets start at $69 plus applicable fees. Purchase tickets online; through the Sales Office by phone at 202-488-3300, Tuesday–Sunday, 12-8pm; or in person at the box office Tuesday–Sunday, 2 hours prior to a performance. Tickets are also available at TodayTix. Groups of 10+ may purchase tickets by phone at 202-488-4380.
Arena Stage’s many savings programs include “pay your age” tickets for those aged 35 and under; military, first responder, and educator discounts; student discounts; and “Southwest Nights” for those living and working in the District’s Southwest neighborhood. To learn more, visit arenastage.org/savings-programs.
The program for A Wrinkle in Time is downloadable here.
COVID Safety: Arena Stage recommends but does not require that patrons wear facial masks in theaters except in designated mask-required performance (Tuesday, July 15, at 7:30pm). For up-to-date information, visit arenastage.org/safety.
4TH OF JULY AT A WRINKLE IN TIME
A once-a-year opportunity to see the stars on stage and in the sky with Special $35 Matinee Tickets, Extended Parking Garage Hours, and Fireworks at The Wharf!
DATE: Friday, July 4, 2025
SHOWTIME: 12pm
$35 TICKETS TO A WRINKLE IN TIME: Click here – use promo code TIME
This Fourth of July, the skies will shimmer above the city and inside Arena Stage. Join Meg Murry and her cosmic guides as they journey through the galaxies in this bold new musical that reimagines a beloved childhood classic.
The garage will stay open late, allowing patrons to leave their car post-show, walk to The Wharf, and catch the fireworks—no crowds, no stress!
A Wrinkle in Time
Book by Lauren Yee
Music and Lyrics by Heather Christian
Based on the novel written by Madeleine L’Engle
Directed by Lee Sunday Evans
Choreography by Ani Taj
CAST
(in alphabetical order)
Ensemble/Paper Girl: LEANNE ANTONIO
Calvin: NICOLAS BARRÓN
Ensemble/Man with the Red Eyes: MICHAEL D. LIBERTO
Ensemble/Happy Medium/Beast: KIMBERLEY DODSON
Mrs. Whatsit: AMBER GRAY
Meg: TAYLOR IMAN JONES
Ensemble/Mother/Aunt Beast: ANDREA JONES-SOJOLA
Ensemble/Camazotzian Brother: AIDAN JOYCE
Mrs. Which: VICKI LEWIS
Charles Wallace: MATEO LIZCANO
Ensemble: REBECCA MADEIRA
Ensemble/Beast: GABRIELLE RICE
Mrs. Who: STACEY SARGEANT
Ensemble/Father: JON PATRICK WALKER
Ensemble: RONALD JOE WILLIAMS
Ensemble/Affirmations Man: JAYKE WORKMAN
CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION TEAM
Set Designer: dots
Costume Designer: SARAFINA BUSH
Lighting Designer: JEANETTE OI-SUK YEW
Sound Designer: NICK KOURTIDES
Puppet Design and Puppetry: JAMES ORTIZ
Wig and Hair Designer: ALBERTO “ALBEE” ALVARADO
Makeup Designer KIRK: CAMBRIDGE-DEL PESCHE
Orchestrations by StarFish
Arrangements by HEATHER CHRISTIAN
Music Director: BEN MOSS
Associate Director: KATIE YOUNG
Associate Choreographer: VERONICA SOFIA BURT
Associate Music Director: EMILY WHITAKER
New York Casting: THE TELSEY OFFICE/RACHEL HOFFMAN, CSA
DC Casting: RAIYON HUNTER
Production Supervisor: TIMOTHY R. SEMON
Stage Manager: JOANNE PAN
Assistant Stage Manager: CHEYNEY COLES
Assistant Stage Manager: DAYNE SUNDMAN
MUSICIANS
Music Director/Conductor: BEN MOSS
Associate Music Director/Piano/Synth: EMILY WHITAKER
Flute/Alto Flute/Clarinet/Bass Clarinet/Alto Saxophone/Baritone Saxophone: MATT BELZER
Violin: BRUNO NASTA
Violin/Viola: IMELDA TECSON JUAREZ
Cello: SUSANNA MENDLOW
Electric Guitar: GERRY KUNKEL
Electric/Acoustic Bass: ARNOLD GOTTLIEB
Percussion: JO HULING
AFM Musical Contractor/Drum Set: DANNY VILLANUEVA
Music Copying: EMILY GRISHMAN MUSIC PREPARATION, ADRIANA GRACE, TIMOTHY HANSON, ALDEN TERRY
SEE ALSO:
Arena Stage announces cast and creative team for ‘A Wrinkle in Time’ (news story, May 2, 2025)
